Luigi Mangione, the lead suspect in the slaying of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, was arrested improperly by police in Pennsylvania, according to his attorney. The arrest took place at a McDonald’s restaurant in Altoona, where police failed to follow basic protocol during the arrest. Mangione was questioned and searched without being read his Miranda rights, making any evidence gathered during that time inadmissible in court as per his lawyer’s argument.
The arrest came at the end of a days-long manhunt for a suspect in Thompson’s murder, where police found a gun in Mangione’s backpack linked to the shell casings at the crime scene in Manhattan. Mangione’s lawyer argues that he was effectively detained by police without being informed of the reasons for his detention or being read his rights. The aggressive posturing by officers and the lack of proper procedures during the arrest are cited as reasons for suppressing evidence in the case.
Mangione is facing charges in multiple courts, including forgery, carrying an unlicensed firearm, and presenting a false ID in Pennsylvania. In New York, he is charged with first-degree murder and murder as an act of terrorism, among others. Additionally, federal prosecutors have charged him with murder, use of a firearm silencer, and interstate stalking, which could potentially lead to the death penalty if he is found guilty. The case has garnered global attention due to the celebrity status of Mangione and the seriousness of the charges against him.
